Radiator construction



R. G. JENSEN RADIATOR CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Sept. 15, 1958 Nov. 1, 1966 I 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 JNVENTOR.

Rosa 6. JENSEN BY 4/ MM ATTORNEY R. G. JENSEN RADIATOR CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Sept. 15, 1958 Nov. 1, 1966 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 [III I 1 JNVENTOR. ROBERT G. JENSEN ATTORNEY Nov. 1, 1966 R. G. JENSEN RADIATOR CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Sept. 15, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 A [III INVENTOR. ROBERT G. JENSEN dmwmwm ATTORNY Nov. 1, 1966 R. G. JENSEN RADIATOR CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Sept. 15, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 JNVENTOR.

Roaen'r G. JENSEN BY 30M 41 Mia/ aw ATTORNEY I Nov. 1, 1966 R.G.JENSEN RADIATOR CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Sept. 15, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. Rosana 6. JENSEN BYMZU. W

ATTORNEY Nov. 1, 1966 R. G. JENSEN RADIATOR CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Sept. 15, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 III] III 11/ III III/III Til/7 r! INVENTOR. Roazm G. JEN SEN MMMMQZ ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,282,333 RADIATOR CONSTRUCTIQN Robert G. Jensen, Hales Corners, Wis, assignor to Perfex Corporation, Milwaukee, Win, a corporation of Wiscousin Continuation of application Ser. No. 251,643, Jan. 15,

1963, which is a continuation of application Ser. No.

760,948, Sept. 15, 1958. This application July 26, 1965,

Ser. No. 477,355

8 Claims. (Cl. 165-72) This is a continuation of application Serial No. 251,643, filed January 15, 1963, which in turn was a continuation of application Serial No. 760,948, filed September 15, 1958 (now abandoned).

This invention relates generally to cooling systems for internal combustion engines and has particular reference to an improved radiator construction for providing deaeration of the liquid coolant.

Some air is present in all cooling systems. When an engine is shut down and allowed to cool, the contraction of the liquid coolant allows air to enter the system, usually in the radiator top tank through the overflow tube. The velocity of the coolant is in many instances sufficient to cause entrainment of this air. The entrained air expands as heated during subsequent operation of the equipment causing coolant to be displaced and a corresponding volume of additional air to be entrained.

Since the heat carrying ability of air is less than water or the commonly used anti-freezes, the radiator cannot remove heat as efiiciently when air is present in the system. Air entrainment also increases the liklihood of pump cavitation, with consequent reduction of coolant flow. This reduction of cooling capacity results in higher metal temperatures and increased corrosion causing injury. to engine parts.

This problem has existed for many years but has been aggravated recently for several \reasons. The horsepower output of most engines has been increased requiring an increase in the coolant pump capacity to remove the increased heat load, thus increasing coolant velocity in the cooling system. Furthermore, radiator top tank sizes have been decreased due to styling requirements and the need for increased use of available space for the radiator core itself.

The higher velocities cause splashing or tumbling in the radiator top tank and an increased qantity of air is entrained. Also, the entrained air bubbles are broken up into smaller bubbles and do not s'eparate from the water as easily.

A separate expansion or surge tank in the cooling system has been used in the past to [remove entrained air from the engine coolant but such an arrangement is unsatisfactory in many instances due to size, space and cost considerations.

It is the object of this invention, therefore, to provide a simple and inexpensive radiator construction which produces effective de-aeration of the engine coolant in a cooling system requiring high oollant velocities and having rigid space limitations.

This object is attained by a radiator construction comprising a core and a top tank above the core having an inlet port for admitting liquid coolant to the tank for normal flow downwardly through the core. A bafile means is provided in the top tank for bypassing a portion of the normal flow to thereby de-aerate such bypassed portion of the flow before it passes to said core.

The baffle means includes a horizontal bathe in the top tank having at least one inlet and one outlet opening therein for diverting a portion of the normal flow up through the inlet opening and then through the space above the bafile for flow down through the outlet opening to the core.

ice

Various arrangements are employed to bypass a portion of the normal coolant flow through the space above the horizontal baflle. One such arrangement includes a deflector plate or scoop fastened to the underside of the bafile at the inlet opening therein to divert part of the flow up through the inlet opening by virtue of the velocity head created by the normal flow past such inlet opening.

A second arrangement utiliz'es the pressure differential created between two points along the normal flow of coolant through the top tank. The inlet opening in the baffle is located at a point upstream in the normal flow from that of the outlet opening resulting in a higher pressure at the inlet than at the outlet to thereby cause a bypass flow up through the inlet op'ening, through the space above the baffle and then out the outlet opening.

The third arrangement utilizes the aspiratory action created at the end of a tube opening downstream into the flow through a conduit to cause flow through such tube into such conduit by virtue of the suction created at the open end of the tube. The tube is mounted in the inlet conduit to the top tank and takes suction on the space above the baffle to cause a bypass flow from beneath the b-aflle, through the space above it and then down into the inlet conduit through the tube.

Other objects and advantages will be pointed out in, or be apparent from, the specification and claims, as will obvious modifications of the several embodiments shown in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view in front elevation of a radiator with parts broken away showing one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view with parts broken away taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is :a vertical sectional view with parts broken away along line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view in front elevation of a radiator with parts broken away showing another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional view with parts broken away taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are vertical sectional views taken along lines 6-6 and 77 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 4 but showing .a slight modification of the upper biaflie;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view in front elevation of .a radiator with parts broken away showing another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a horizontal sectional view with parts broken away taken along line 10--10 of FIG. 9;

FIGS. 11 and 12 are vertical sectional views taken along lines 1111 and 1212of FIG. 9;

FIGS. 13 and 14 are vertical sectional views taken along lines 1313 and 14-l4 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary view in front elevation of a radiator with parts broken away showing another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 16 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 16l6 of FIG. 15;

FIGS. 17 and 18 are vertical sectional views taken along lines 1717 and 1818 of FIG. 15;

FIG. 19 is a fragmentary view in front elevation of a radiator with parts broken away showing another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 24 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 2424 of FIG. 23;

FIG. 25 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 2525 of FIG. 23; and

FIG. 26 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 2626 of FIG. 24.

Referring now t-o the drawings, all the various embodiments of this invention include a core and a radiator top tank 12 mounted above the core as illustrated. Core 10, of conventional construction, comprises a plurality of tubes 14 fixed to an uppe-r tube sheet 16 and equipped with radiating plates or fins 18.

The top tank 12 of each embodiment is provided with the customary filling neck 20, with a removable cap 22 and an inlet conduit means and internal bathe means as will presently be described in detail. The several embodiments of this invention consist mainly of va-rious modifications of the top tank baffle means and inlet conduit means which cooperate to bypass a portion of the normal flow of liquid coolant by diverting such bypassed portion over an internal bafile to thereby deaerate the bypassed portion.

FIGS. 1-3 and 4-8 show two embodiments of the invention wherein the bypass portion of the flow is diverted by means of a scoop or deflector plate which operates by virtue of the velocity head at such scoop.

FIGS. 9-14 and 23-26 show two embodiments of the invention wherein the bypass portion of the flow is diverted solely by virtue of a pressure differential created between two points along the nornral flow of liquid coolant from the t-op tank inlet to the core.

FIGS. -18 and 19-22 show two embodiments of the invention wherein the bypass portion of the flow is diverted to the space above the internal baflle by the flowin a tube due to suction caused by the aspiratory effect at one end of such tube when extended into the normal flow of coolant with the end thereof opening downstream of such flow.

Referring now to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3, the baflle means in the top tank 12 includes a horizontal baffle 24 having a rectangular inlet opening 26 in the central portion thereof and an outlet opening 28 therein spaced from the inlet opening at one end thereof.

Coolant enters top tank 12 through external conduit 30 and is directed downwardly through b-afile 24 to core 10 through an internal conduit 32. A portion of the normal flow of coolant from inlet conduit 36 to core 10 is divert-ed upwardly through inlet opening 26 in baffle 24 by means of a downwardly angling scoop or deflector plate 34 fastened to the underside of the baffle transversely thereof along one edge of opening 26 as shown. A portion of the normal fiow is thereby diverted upwardly through opening 26 for flow through the space above baffle 24 and then downwardly through outlet opening 28 to the core. The amount of bypass is controlled to give a sufiiciently low coolant velocity above the baffle to allow the air to bubble out.

Top tank 12 of all embodiments is sized so that the space above the baffle is sufficient for normal thermal expansion, after boil, and to provide some degree of safety against negligent failure to maintain the proper level of coolant in the radiator. The coolant level should be maintained to a point above the bafile at all times to prevent the high velocity coolant entering the top tank from coming in contact with and entraining the air present in the top portion of the top tank.

The scoop and bafile opening size of this embodiment are dependent on pump capacity and must provide: (1) low enough water velocity in the compartment above the baffle to allow the air to separate from the coolant; (2) maximum bypass volume for fast de-aeration and; (3) a bypass velocity that will not cause re-aeration in the upper compartment with reduced coolant level.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 4-8 is similar to that shown in FIGS. 1-3 described above except that a scoop 36 extending longitudinally of baflle 24 ha-s been provided at inlet opening 26 and a second horizontal baffle 38 (FIG. 4) h-as been provided above bafiie 24 extending partially across top tank 12 in the direction in which the bypass portion of the coolant flows in the space above bafile 24. Baffle 38 serves to prevent any turbulence at inlet opening 26 (particularly at low water levels) with consequent entrainment of air from the top portion of the top tank. As shown in FIG. 8, an opening 4d may be prow'ded at the end of baflle 38 to allow some of the bypass fiow to flow up through opening 4% to the space above both bafiles.

FIGS. 9-14 show another embodiment of the invention wherein a horizontal bafile 42 having a vertical wall portion 44 is mounted over the core 10 of the radiator with the depth of top tank 12 extended as at 46 (FIG. 11). Coolant enters the top tank through inlet conduit 30 and is directed through the extended portion 46 of the top tank and down through baflle 42 to core 10 by an internal conduit 48 as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. A portion of the coolant entering the top tank is diverted through an inlet opening 50 in conduit 48 for flow through the extended portion 46 of tank 12 and the space above bafile 42 to a pair of outlet openings 52, 52 in each end of battle wall 44. This de-aerating bypass flow from inlet opening 50 to outlet openings 52, 52 is due to the pressure differential between such inlet and outlet openings created as a result of the resistance pressure drop in the normal flow of coolant from inlet conduit 34) to the extreme outer portions of core 10 beneath outlet openings 52, 52. A relief tube 54 (FIGS. 9, 10 and 14) is provided in bafille 42 to prevent possible damage to the baffle due to a sudden increase in pressure at inlet conduit 30 and also to vent air during initial filling.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 23-26 provides the required bypass flow and consequent de-aeration thereof by the same principle as that ofthe embodiment shown in FIGS. 9-14 except that somewhat different structure is utilized. In the FIGS. 23-26 embodiment a single horizontal baffle 56 is mounted in top tank 12 as shown. The liquid coolant enters the top tank above bafile 56 centrally thereof through external inlet conduit 30 and is directed downwar-dly through the baffle to core 10 by an internal conduit 58. A portion of the normal flow of coolant to the core is diverted through a plurality of openings 60 in internal conduit 58 for flow through the space above baffle 56 and then downwardly to the core through outlet openings 62, 62 at opposite ends of the bafile. This de-aerating flow from inlet openings 6t) to outlet openings 62, 62 is due (as in the FIGS. 9'1'4 embodiment described above) to the pressure differential between such inlet and outlet openings created as a result of the resistance pressure drop in the normal flow of coolant from inlet conduit 30 to the extreme outer portions of core 10 beneath outlet openings 62, 62.

Reference is now made to the final two embodiments of this invention shown in FIGS. 15-18 and 19-22. In the FIGS. 15-18 embodiment, coolant enters top tank 12 below a horizontal baffle 76 for normal flow downwardly through core 10. The bypass flow is diverted from beneath bafile 76 through a pair of inlet tubes 78 at opposite ends of the bafile by the flow through a tube 86 due to suction created by the aspiratory effect at the end 82 of the tube which extends into the flow of coolant through inlet conduit 30. This aspiratory effect at end 82 of tube 80 causing a bypass flow through the space above baffie 76 is due to the velocity of coolant flow past the end 82 of the tube which opens downstream of such flow. The greater the velocity of coolant through conduit 30 the greater the aspiratory effect at the end of the tube and the volume of bypass flow through the space above bafile 76. As shown in FIG. 18 the coolant velocity in conduit 30 can be increased by necking down such conduit at the end of the tube. It is noted that top tank 12 of this embodiment is provided with a pressure relief valve 84. Such a valve is often employed in a pressurized cooling system for which this embodiment was specially designed and particularly well adapted.

The means for producing a de-aerating bypass flow in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 19-22 is similar to that shown in FIGS. l5l8 and described above. In this embodiment, liquid coolant enters top tank 12 through a pair of inlet conduits 30, 30 and is directed downwardly through a horizontal baffle 86 to core by means of a pair of internal conduits 88, 88 as shown. A portion of the normal flow from each inlet conduit 30 is diverted to the space above bafiie 86 through inlet openings 94, 94 by means of a short tube 90 inserted in each interval conduit 38 and having ends 92 opening downstream of the flow through such internal conduits. A de-aerating bypass fiow upwardly through a pair of inlet openings 94, 94 at opposite ends of bafile 86 and then into internal conduits 88, 88 is caused by the flow in tubes 90 due to suction created by the aspiratory efiect at the ends 92 of tubes 90 in the manner previously described with respect to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 15-18.

Although several embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a radiator construction;

a core;

a top tank mounted over said core;

a flat, horizontally disposed imperforate bafile in said top tank overlying said entire core and forming an upper chamber and a lower chamber;

an inlet conduit for said top tank communicating with said lower chamber to direct flow of liquid coolant to said lower chamber and then through said core;

a first opening in said baffle adjacent said inlet conduit;

a second opening in said bafile located remotely from said first opening; and

diverting means for creating a pressure difierential between said first and second openings to thereby cause a small portion of the liquid coolant to flow through one of said openings in the baffle along the top surface of said baffie to the other of said openings and then through said other openings to said lower chamber.

2. In a radiator construction;

a core;

a top tank mounted over said core;

a flat horizontally disposed imperforate bafile in said top tank overlying said entire core and forming an upper chamber and a lower chamber;

an inlet conduit for said top tank communicating with said lower chamber to direct flow of liquid coolant to said lower chamber and then through said core;

a first opening in said bafiie adjacent said inlet conduit;

a second opening in said 'baffle located remotely from said first opening; and

diverting means operable in response to the flow of incoming coolant to force a small portion of the coolant into the upper chamber through one of said openings in the baffie for flow through the upper chamber along the top of the battle to the other of said openings and then through said other opening into the lower chamber to eltect de-aeration of coolant as it slowly passes through the upper chamber.

3. In a radiator construction;

a core;

a top tank mounted over said core;

a horizontally disposed imperforate baflle in said top tank overlying the entire core and forming an upper and lower chamber in said top tank;

an inlet conduit for said top tank communicating with said lower chamber for admitting liquid coolant thereto;

an inlet opening in said baflle;

an internal conduit in said tank connected to said inlet conduit and to said inlet opening for directing flow from said inlet conduit through said baflle to said core;

a first bypass opening in said batfie adjacent said inlet opening;

a second bypass opening in said baflle located remotely from said first opening; and

diverting means for diverting a portion of the normal flow to said core from said lower chamber up through one of said bypass openings to produce a bypass flow at reduced velocity along the top surface of said baffle to the other of said bypass openings and then through said other bypass opening to said lower chamber.

4. In a radiator construction;

a core;

a top tank mounted over said core;

a horizontally disposed imperforate baffle in said top tank overlying the entire core and forming an upper and lower chamber in said top tank;

an inlet conduit for said top tank communicating with said lower chamber for admitting liquid coolant thereto;

an inlet opening in said bafiie;

an internal conduit in said tank connected to said inlet conduit and to said inlet opening for directing flow from said inlet conduit through said bafile to said core;

a first bypass opening in said baffle adjacent said inlet opening;

a second bypass opening in said baffle located remotely from said first opening; and

diverting means for diverting a portion of the normal flow to said core from said lower chamber up through said first bypass opening to produce a bypass flow at reduced velocity along the top surface of said baflle to said second bypass opening and then through said second bypass opening to said core, said diverting means including a scoop adjacent said first bypass opening.

5. A radiator construction according to claim 1 in which said diverting means includes a scoop adjacent said first opening.

6. A radiator construction according to claim 1 in which said diverting means includes a tube formed at said first opening with one end thereof positioned so that it faces downstream of the flow of liquid to said lower chamber.

7. A radiator construction according to claim 1 in which said diverting means includes an internal conduit in said top tank leading from said inlet conduit to said core, said internal conduit having said first opening therein through which said small portion of the liquid coolant will flow.

8. A radiator construction according to claim 1 in which there is a second horizontal baflle overlying said first-stated bafile and spaced therefrom.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,628,079 2/1953 Haynes et a1. l65110 X 2,713,973 7/1955 Hencken et al 23763 2,735,622 2/ 1956 Pintarelli 237-63 3,004,626 10/1961 Brinen 111 ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

FREDERICK L. MATTESON, JR., Examiner.

T. W. STREULE, JR., Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A RADIATOR CONSTRUCTION; A CORE; A TOP TANK MOUNTED OVER SAID CORE; A FLAT, HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED IMPERFORATE BAFFLE IN SAID TOP TANK OVERLYING SAID ENTIRE CORE AND FORMING AN UPPER CHAMBER AND A LOWER CHAMBER; AN INLET CONDUIT FOR SAID TOP TANK COMMUNICATING WITH SAID LOWER CHAMBER TO DIRECT FLOW OF LIQUID COOLANT TO SAID LOWER CHAMBER AND THEN THROUGH SAID CORE; A FIRST OPENING IN SAID BAFFLE ADJACENT SAID INLET CONDUIT; A SECOND OPENING IN SAID BAFFLE LOCATED REMOTELY FROM SAID FIRST OPENING; AND DIVERTING MEANS FOR CREATING A PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND OPENINGS TO THEREBY CAUSE A SMALL PORTION OF THE LIQUID COOLANT TO FLOW THROUGH ONE OF SAID OPENINGS IN THE BAFFLE ALONG THE TOP SURFACE OF SAID BAFFLE TO THE OTHER OF SAID OPENINGS AND THEN THROUGH SAID OTHER OPENINGS TO SAID LOWER CHAMBER. 